Should the other eye be closed or not?

[swimmingdonkey]

Hello

Do you have both eyes or one eye opened when looking through a telescope? I have always kept one eye closed and looked with the other eye. But I watched one video for fun which had tips for observing with telescope and it said that it is better to have both eyes open. So is this true, anyone know?

[acey]

Why better? Do whatever feels right for you. There is no specific advantage or disadvantage in closing or opening your other eye. Though there are some situations where you would wish to keep one eye open, for example so as to observe something that you're comparing with the view in the telescope (e.g. Herschel did this when measuring double-star positions). Some people don't like closing one eye. Some use an eye patch. Some put a hood over their head to shut out light, in which case it doesn't matter whether your other eye is open or closed. Some use a binoviewer. Some have only one eye...

[Gutross]

use an eye patch, it will make it easier. and you will look cool to boot!

[happy-kat]

Less likely to get tension headache or muscle tiredness or deep wrinkles, and relaxes the seeing eye so see more as you tune in to observe I have read.

[jnb]

Try the following;

Put one hand over one eye and look at things around you. Now close the eye you had the hand over and see how easy it is to look at things. Most people will find it much harder because closing one eye has an effect on the other.

I keep both eyes open, the eye not at the eye piece will usually be looking at something defocussed so it's quite easy to use just the dominant eye. The only exception is if there is enough ambient light around that, although defocussed, light coming through the subdominant eye is distracting.

[MarsG76]

What ever is comfortable for you....

use an eye patch, it will make it easier. and you will look cool to boot!

Apart from looking cool and like a pirate, it helps to keep your observing eye night adapted.... Keep the patch on until about to look through the eyepiece... Arr astronomy me hardies....

[jabeoo1]

I find that placing my palm over my non-looking eye a difficult position to maintain.  I also find that trying to keep one eye closed for a period of time feels like too many un-needed muscles are at work in my face.  I have a dominative eye when it comes to viewing, I have adopted a simple solution.  

I close non-viewing eye, and gently apply a very small amount of pressure to the eyelash line of the closed eye with my 1st 2nd & 3rd fingers.  I find that just the presence of my 3 fingers resting along the lower orbit and overlap to the eyelashes allows all the muscles in my face to relax.  This is successful for me to achieve very long & relaxed viewing position with little to no strain. 

[DirkSteele]

use an eye patch, it will make it easier. and you will look cool to boot!

Yep, pirates are in this year! 

I find an eye patch helps as it is more relaxing to have both eyes open, but covering it so you are not seeing two images.

[ronin]

It is usually more relaxing to have both open, then it depends if you can in effect ignore the image from the "unused" open eye or not.

The aspect being that if you cannot then you may find it not so relaxing.

Many will use a patch, that way both are open, less muscular tension, and no image as such from the "unused" eye.

Part of the problem could be how long is your/the eye at the eyepiece for. It it is held in place looking for an extended time then the use of the muscles to keep the other eye close starts to have an effect.

Peering down an eyepiece is a bit more complex then just putting eye to eyepiece, you first need to relax the observing eye and then adjust the focus to match, many start by altering the focus of the observing eye and this then causes more strain.

[ronl]

I use a black eye patch, the more relaxed you are at the eyepiece the better, my 

eye patch and observing seat are a very good asset, they make observing much

more pleasurable.  

[laudropb]

I always wear glasses when observing, but do keep both eyes open. I suppose after a while you just get used to it.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Eye patch here for me. Helps relax your eyes and your face. 

[Tinker1947]

Eye patch for me....

[Vox45]

Peering down an eyepiece is a bit more complex then just putting eye to eyepiece, you first need to relax the observing eye and then adjust the focus to match, many start by altering the focus of the observing eye and this then causes more strain.

Very good tip there

[John]

I use my left eye to observe. My right eye is closed when I'm observing. Right or wrong thats the way that seems natural to me over the past 30+ years.

[DemosL]

use an eye patch, it will make it easier. and you will look cool to boot!

Arg! I used an eye patch in the past. I also covered my non-observing eye with my hand. Cover the eye does several things:

- it relieves the strain of squinting

- it blocks out extraneous light

[goose35]

If i close my eye eventually i get funny shapes and clouds roaming the ep. Then i cover one eye till it passes then close it again.

I might try an eye patch tho

[spaceboy]

Eye patch for me day or night. Far easier than constantly squinting and makes me feel cool like Snake Plissken

[Saganite]

It does not really matter so long as it is comfortable.For me either option works. 

[FenlandPaul]

What a great question. I've never even thought about it. I think unless there's a lot of stray light I keep both eyes open, but I'm definitely going to invest in an eye patch (not entirely sure where from; us Fenlanders don't have much call for pirate gear) and see the difference. That approach seems to get a lot of good reports here...

[Chris]

I have an eyepatch which I keep on forgetting to use. I might stick it in my eyepiece case which should solve my forgetfulness.

Otherwise I need to have one eye closed else I see two seperate images, one of the garden and one of space.

I use binoviewers when possible now days which saves a lot of squinting.  

[orion25]

I usually close one eye, just out of habit, and sometimes switch eyes for comparison. I rarely peer through the eyepiece long enough for my face to hurt, haha. Many great suggestions. Try 'em all and use what works best for you 

Reggie

[Les S]

I only started using a scope 6 weeks ago and after the first week I tried the eye patch and found I was more relaxed when viewing.

[Piero]

So far I have been observing with my left eye while keeping the right close.

I have found that covering the right eye is better for me particularly when catching faint objects. Therefore, I may likely join the pirate gang!

A hood also works well, particularly in the winter.

For planets I leave both my eyes open. That is for increasing the amount of the external light entering in my eyes, reducing potential dark adaptation.

[spaceman_spiff]

I tend to cover my left eye with my hood and observe with my right eye.

If I close my left eye for long periods it starts to ache and then fill with tears  , which really annoys me!